A Thirst for Battle: Neo Germany in the 20th Fight
by Colonel Andarion
Summary: The story of Neo Germany in the 20th Gundam Fight. As their pilot's intentiions remain unknown, they must learn to trust a man wiht no past and a lust for fighting.
1. History

I do not own G Gundam or any of the characters that are in the series. I own all original characters and Gundams. You don't like it, tough.  
  
*****  
  
Neo Germany had lacked a strong Gundam fighter for too long. Since the end of the 13th Gundam Fight, no one had stepped up to claim the position vacated by the masterful Schwartz Bruder. The four Gundam Fights since had resulted in early elimination because of the ineptitude of the pilots that represented their once great country. The leadership was clearly frustrated.  
  
To solve the problem in time for the 18th Gundam Fight, they had instituted a draft to select the people of the country who showed the greatest promise as fighters and put them to a rigorous series of tests designed to stretch their abilities to the limit. None of the lab rats had any idea what the tests were about. As a result, many promising candidates had been turned away.  
  
Then one man by the name of Tobias Andarion had made a guess at the reason for the tests. The officials were pleased. Not only had this man been able to figure out the meaning of this testing process, he demonstrated piloting skills rivaled only by Domon Kashuu of Neo Japan.  
  
The fights had been spectacular, his Gundam downing foe after foe. The impressive string of victories took him straight to the final battle, where he just barely defeated the Burning Gundam v. III in a long and taxing battle. Afterwards, he vanished into the obscurity of the public, not wishing to be seen by the government that now ruled the Earth Sphere.  
  
Voluntarily he recalled himself for the 19th Fight so that he could again serve his country. Something about him had changed though. The anger he had felt had vanished from him, as had all other emotions. It was as if he was only a shell of his former self. Still, his abilities remained intact, strong enough that he was able to again reach the final battle.  
  
But then he disappeared, taking the Gundam with him. The day he was supposed to fight to defend the crown of Neo Germany came and went, and again Neo Japan ruled all. Domon refused the title, claiming he had not won it in honorable battle. After a year, Tobias had still not been found, and grudgingly he took the crown.  
  
Many theories began to circulate about the champion's whereabouts. Some thought he had stolen the Gundam and fled to a neighboring colony so he could sell the secrets of the Germans. Others proposed that he had misstepped while training and injured himself to the point where he could not even move. Yet others thought that he had grown tired of his mercenary like image and had destroyed his Gundam, retreating to live a peaceful life with his wife and daughter.  
  
In reality, he was the only won who knew the truth. He hid it from his wife and daughter as well, deceiving them into false assumptions and living with them on the run. The truth was he had grown tired of the fighting and had stolen the Gundam, knowing the lifestyle of fighting and glamour would beckon to him in the future. They lived in relative happiness, but there was always a nagging call to fight. The 20th Gundam Fight was beginning, and he knew his country needed an able fighter.  
  
He also knew he was the only one able to fill those needs. 


	2. Remebrance

Disclaimer: Don't own the stuff from the show. Do own some of the characters and some of the Mobile Suits.  
  
******  
  
"The fights are starting soon." Tobias Andarion didn't look at his wife, Gabrielle, as he stated the obvious.  
  
"I know."  
  
They sat in silence for several moments. Then he spoke again. "You know the fighting calls me."  
  
"I know. Why, though?"  
  
"Why, what?"  
  
"Why does the fighting call you every four years? It seems that's all you do for every one year out of four."  
  
"Truthfully, I don't know. I can only guess that it's the way I was brought up. All my life, I've been fighting or running. Fighting in the Gundam Fight has destroyed my coward's instincts. All that's left is the desire to fight."  
  
"But why only every four years?"  
  
"Again it's the Fight. My anger and aggression was uncontrollable, but the fights allowed me to harness it outside of the arena. It took a tragic incident to teach me, though."  
  
"A tragedy? Are you referring to what happened in Neo Luxembourg?"  
  
Silence.  
  
*****  
  
During the 19th fight, he had been searching across Europe for remaining fighters to challenge when he came across Neo Luxembourg's Gundam. The refusal of the challenge had angered him to the point where he had taken the fighter's wife as a hostage to force a fight.  
  
The fight itself had been close, but in the end, he won, just like he always had. But something had gone wrong. He lost control of his emotions and did not quit when the regulations told him to. Instead, he continued his attack, eventually killing the pilot.  
  
When confronted by the forlorn wife, his brain twitched and his Gundam killed her instantly. He had changed that day, his emotions leaving him an empty shell. He almost killed himself after that, but loyalty to his family and country kept him from doing something stupid.  
  
He continued to fight, but his tactics were much less erratic, more controlled. It was as if he had become a machine.  
  
*****  
  
He turned to face Gabrielle for the first time. "Fighting is one of the few things that has ever made me complete. It is as much of me as you and Kristiana are. Without it, I am nothing."  
  
"I understand then. But will Neo Germany?"  
  
"They need me, and they know it. They will not risk alienating me just to prove a point."  
  
He smiled to himself, an odd little smile. He turned and walked out the door, heading for the hangar and the Gundam Schwarzherz.[1]  
  
*****  
  
Another chapter done. Unlike my Gundam Wing fics, I'll try and keep this relatively short so they're not as hard to read.  
  
[1] Literally, "Blackheart." That is the name I will use for it from now on.  
  
Colonel 


	3. Contender

Disclaimer: Don't own, so don't sue.  
  
*****  
  
His carrier was small, almost too small for its intended purpose: to transport him, his family, and his Gundam to Berlin, where he would present himself before the government of Neo Germany so that they could again anoint him their representative in the Gundam Fight.  
  
It sufficed, however, and it carried them to the airfield. As they landed, a pair of defense MS's emerged from the shadows to flank the shuttle as it taxied into position. When Tobias stepped out, their spotlights flared into existence, illuminating him against the darkness of the night.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Tobias Andarion, you are under arrest on charges of desertion and grand larceny under false pretenses. You are to come with us. Resist, and your family will be shot."  
  
He froze, recognizing the one threat against him that worked. Slowly he raised his arms while muttering to himself. "Since when is this place Communist again?"  
  
Under armed guard, he walked into the building nearby, where he was sat a table, and told to wait. After several minutes, a familiar face entered.  
  
"Chancellor Zornig."  
  
"Why is it that you constantly must defy me, Tobias? It seems that every time I have a request, you do just the opposite."  
  
"Dunno. Why am I under arrest?"  
  
"You heard the charges. Most of your insubordination I can tolerate, but stealing the hope of our people is going one step too far. In addition, you abandoned the fight when you still had the chance to succeed in the Fight. That is a charge punishable by death."  
  
"I can give you a reason why you can't kill me."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
Smirking, he responded. "You need me as a pilot. No one else is qualified to pilot the Blackheart."  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence. Finally the Chancellor responded. "We have built another Gundam. We also have a pilot to use it. Your position is not as secure as you thought. In fact," he paused while removing the gun from the nearest guard's holster; "there is nothing but our friendship that is keeping me from shooting you right now."  
  
He observed as the Chancellor rotated the chamber, noting the full round of bullets. He could only raise an eyebrow as the gun was returned to the holster. "There is a better way to see how loyal you are."  
  
"Loyal enough, it would seem. I came back, didn't I?"  
  
"Also, it will be a test to see how you have fared in the past four years. You will have to fight our new representative, to see who will fight for us."  
  
"You will throw this into my arena? You really have no faith."  
  
"This will be a fight to the death. And speaking of our new representative, I believe the pilot and crew of the Panzer Gundam have arrived."  
  
He waited for a moment as the door opened and a woman with black hair and eyes came in, a vicious scar lined across her arm. She was shorter than he was, and looked to be around seventy pounds lighter. In a word, she looked frail.  
  
"Mister Andarion. My name is Raven Darklight. I accept your challenge." 


End file.
